Lecturers to go on strike from June to press demands

Puducherry, May 15 (UNI) The Puducherry Lecturers Association has threatened to go on a strike from the first week of June, if the government failed to fullfill its assurances.

Addressing a press conference here today, Association president S K Subramanian said as the administration failed to provide promotions to the lecturers for the past 20 years, they demanded the filling up of 50 per cent of the high school headmasters post with lecturers in 2003.

The members of the association had organsed several agitations to press their demand last year. However, in February, this year, an official committee in it's report assured promotions to lecturers on par with their counterparts in New Delhi before May 15, he added.

He said senior selection grade salary to the lecturers who were affected following the implementation of assured career progression scheme were assured by the Education Minister and Education Secretary. However, the administration initiated no action to honour the promise given.

If the assurances were not fullfilled before May 31, the lecturers would resort to strike from the first week of June.

On the decline in pass percentage in the Plus Two examination here, Mr Subramanian alleged that it was due to the lackadaisical attitude of Education Director on all issues, scarcity of teachers for several subjects, including computer teachers in different schools for the last one-and-a-half years.